DETERMINATION OF LC50 OF COPPER IN LITOPENAEUS VANNAMEI

We determined the LC50 of copper (as CUS04) and it's Maximum Allowable Concentration(MAC) for Litopenaeus vannamei. The study was performed in 2003 for which bioassays were used for acute toxicity tests in a period of 96 hours during which water parameters such as water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, hardness, alkalinity were also measured. Ten treatments and three replicates for each treatment were used. A LC50 of 86.71, 27.28, 7.98 and 3.90 mg/l and also Maximum Allowable Concentration of 8.671, 2.728, 0.798 and 0.390 mg/l were determined at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours post exposure.
Results showed that L. vannamei is relatively resistant to copper. Hence, short period applicationof copper to white shrimp farms for controlling algal bloom is judged harmless to thefish.